Cuff button



Oct. 26, 1937. HQECKELE 2,097,373

CUFF BUTTON Filed March 20, 1953 Patented Oct. 26, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CUFF BUTTON Application March 20,

20 Claims.

My present invention relates to cuff buttons, and has particular reference to cuff buttons which have movable ends or heads which may be selectively positioned. in the plane of the button body or at right angles thereto.

Cufi buttons of this type have heretofore been made of solid or substantially solid construction; the cuff buttons have therefore been heavy, and have been expensive when made in gold, platinum, or sterling silver. It is the principal object of my invention to provide a button. construction of light weight, and thus permit the use of precious metals for the button parts Without unduly increasing the expense of materials and manufacture.

To this end, I have devised a construction using a tubular body, in which the heads may be pivotally secured, and I have included a simplified and economical lock construction for permitting movement of the heads to selected positions while effectively holding the heads in such selected positions against movement incident to use of the buttons as cuff fasteners.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in View, my invention comprises a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1' is a plan view of the novel cuff button,

Fig. 2 is a plan View, with parts in section,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section at right angles to Fig. 2, the upper head ends being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the novel head;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the novel retaining block; and

Figs. 6 and '7 are perspective details of a modified retainer and head construction.

Referring to the drawing, the cuff button It comprises a central tubular barrel II and two heads l2, [3 which are of split ring pattern, as shown in Fig. l, the ends of the heads being inserted through aligned openings I4, l5 at each end of the barrel to engage retaining blocks I6.

As will be noted in Fig. 3, the barrel is shaped so as to lock the retaining blocks between obstructions H and stones or the like Is which are mounted in the open ends of the barreland are retained in place by curling the barrel edges; if preferred, however, solder may be used to securely fasten the retaining blocks in place, or an inner spacing member of suitable form may he positioned in the barrel.

1933, Serial No. 661,707

The retaining blocks it, see Fig. 5, are indented or grooved transversely and longitudinally to provideplock recesses i9, 29 which form right angled intersecting grooves on both upper and lower The cost of the partsv and their assembly is small,

and an effective cuff. button is thus obtained ,at relatively low cost.

The use of sterling silver for the cuff button heads entails a further difliculty, in that the softer metal wears and the bevelled ends become blunt after long use. It is therefore preferred to .modify the construction, as shown in Fig. 6, by forming the ends of the heads square, as indicated at 22, 23, and utilizing a centrally disposed compression spring 24 in which the shank 25 of a lock disk 26 isreceived, the lock disk pressing against selected contiguous flat surfaces of the head ends to resiliently and securely retain the head in the desired position. 7

Although the described constructions disclose two movable heads, it may be preferred in certain instances to use one head which is securely fixed to the barrel, the other end being movable, in order to use a large stone, or initial, or other decorative article. The constructions described may be readily changed, if desired, to obtain such effects.

While I have described specific constructional arrangements which embody the invention, it is obvious that desired changes in the relative proportions of the parts, their arrangement, and the material utilized, may be made to suit the preferences of individual designers, within the, spirit and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. In a button, a. body having spaced transverse openings, heads each having spaced ends journaled in the openings, and means independent of and disposed in the body to engage the ends of the heads. thereby to latch the latter in position.

2. In a button, a body element, and a head element having spaced ends journaled in the body element, one of said elements having seats and the other element having means independent thereof forsnapping engagement with the seats to hold the head element in different positions.

3. In a button, a body, a head having a pair of parts journaled in the opposite sides of the body, and means in the body and independent of the latter for latching one of the head parts in different positions.

4. In a button, a tubular barrel, a head having spaced ends positioned in said barrel, and a retaining element in said barrel, said retaining element having crossed grooves and said spaced ends having bevelled edges cooperating with said crossed grooves.

5. In a button, a tubular barrel having aligned openings adjacent one end thereof, a head hinged in said openings, and having a square portion positioned across said barrel, and coil spring means mounted in said barrel and engageable with a face of said square portion when said face is turned perpendicular to the axis of the barrel upon swinging movement of the head.

6. In a button, a tubular barrel having aligned openings adjacent one end thereof, a head hinged in said openings, and having a square portion positioned across said barrel, and spring means mounted in said barrel and engageable with a face of said square portion when said face is turned perpendicular to the axis of the barrel upon swinging movement of the head, said spring means including a resiliently urged retainer member having a flat face.

7. In a button, a tubular open ended body having spaced transverse openings adjacent one end, a head having transverse latch element means journalled in the said openings, means in the body independent thereof and adapted to engage said latch element means to latch the head in selected positon relative to the body, and an ornament closure for said body end.

8. In a button, a tubular open ended body provided with spaced transverse openings adjacent each body end, heads having transverse latch element means journalled in the said openings, means in the body independent thereof and adapted to engage said latch element means to latch the heads in selected position relative to the body, and an ornament closure for each body end.

9. In a button, a tubular open ended body having spaced transverse openings adjacent one end, a head having transverse latch element means journalled in said openings, spring means in said body independent thereof, said latch element means and said spring means having parts adapted for snapping engagement to latch said head in selective positions relative to said body, and ornament closures for the ends of said body.

10. In a button, a body having a tubular portion provided with spaced transverse openings adjacent one body end, said body end being open, a head having transverse latch element means journalled in said opening, spring means in said body independent thereof, said latch element means and said spring means having parts adapted for snapping engagement to latch said head in selective positions relative to said body, and an ornament closure for said body end.

11. In a button, atubular open ended member having spaced transverse openings, a second member having transverse latch element means journalled in said openings, means in the first member independent thereof and adapted to engage said latch element means to latch the members in selective relative positions, and closures for the ends of said first member.

12. In a button, a tubular open ended member having spaced transverse openings, a second member having transverse latch el m nt means journalled in said openings, spring pressed means in the first member independent thereof and adapted to engage said latch element means to latch the members in selective relative positions, and closures for the ends of said first member.

13. In a button, a tubular open ended member having spaced transverse openings, a, second member having transverse latch element means journalled in said openings, spring means in said first member, said spring means and said latch element means having parts adapted for snapping engagement to latch said members in selective relative positions, and drnament closures for the ends of said first member.

14. In a button, a tubular open ended member having spaced transverse openings, a second member having transverse latch element means of rectangular cross-section journalled in said openings, spring means in said first member, said spring means including parts engageable with the sides of said rectangular latch element means for snapping engagement therewith to latch said members in selective relative positions, and ornament closures for the ends of said first member.

15. In a button, a tubular open ended member having spaced transverse openings, a second member having transverse latch element means of rectangular cross-section journalled in said openings, and spring means in said first member, said spring means including a retainer member having a flat face engageable with the sides of said rectangular latch element means for snapping engagement therewith to latch said members in selective relative positions.

16. In a button, a tubular open ended member having spaced transverse openings, a second member having transverse latch element means of rectangular cross-section journalled in said openings, and spring means in said first member, said spring means including a retainer member having a fiat face engageable with the sides of said rectangular latch element means for snapping engagement therewith to latch said members in selective relative positions, and ornament closures for the ends of said first member.

17. In a button, a body having a tubular portion provided with spaced transverse openings adjacent each body end, heads having transverse latch element means journalled in said openings,

coil spring means in the body independent thereof and adapted to engage said latch element means to latch the heads in selected position relative to the body.

18. In a button, a body having a tubular portion provided with spaced transverse openings adjacent each body end, heads having transverse latch element means journalled in said openings, coil spring means in the body independent thereof and adapted to engage said latch element means to latch the heads in selected position relative to the body, and an ornament closure for said body end.

19. In a button, a tubular open ended member having spaced transverse openings, a second mem ber having transverse latch element means journalled in said openings, means in the first member independent thereof and adapted to engage said latch element means to latch the members in selective relative positions, said second member having bevelled edge cams and said means having intersecting grooves for selectively receiving said bevelled edge cams, and closures for the ends of said first member.

20. In a button, a tubular open ended member having spaced transverse openings, a second member having transverse latch element means journalled in said openings, means in the first 5 member independent thereof and adapted to engage said latch element means to latch the members in selective relative positions, one of said members having bevelled edge cams and the other member having intersecting grooves for selectively receiving said. bevelled edge cams, and closures for the ends of said first member.

KARL HOECKELE. 

